RCC, you summarized the book beautifully. And I agree 100% with your assessment of the book. 'Tis indeed better to know what we're dealing with - and plan accordingly - than to reach goal and think we can live like 'normal' people ... and gain all the weight back.
Oddly enough, I find it comforting to find out that science validates the difficulties of maintaining a weight loss.
Hi All:
Haven't been around much but always here in spirit.
Just read the book and found it discouraging & encouraging at the same time.
I already know that it is a constant fight for me to maintain a large weight loss, but I am hopefully that science can eventually find the kink in our bodies and help people with a true remedy. It is painful to be obese and having been there and always aware that its very possible to go back I pray that science can help people who are suffering. It also helped me to realize how much I have accomplished by keep my weight off. Yes, I have had some set-backs and regains but with the deck statcked against us it puts those incidents in perspective.
Take care,
Gina
Sort of new here. Just posted in the intro section.
This interview caught my eye and I wanted to join in. I've not read the book, but just listened to the interview. It seems to me that this study is just confirming what most people have known a long time: That once you have been very heavy it is likely that you will either remain that way, or return to that state in time. That it takes extraordinary effort and resolve to remain fit after a large weight loss. The author speaks of "primal hunger" and I can certainly relate to that. I believe the people that succeed in long-term maintenance are those who have a reason important enough to them to take the extraordinary measures. And know you can never go back to eating and living "like an average person".
Don't get me wrong, I think the book is well worth reading and discussing -if only to know better what we face. I'll likely pick it up if I can.
What I would be afraid of is such a pessimistic book could be latched on to as justification for not even trying. I would've hated to have read it at my lowest point.
I would rather hear about the long-haul successes. I want to hear about the extraordinary measures. I want to hear of the people that have fought their fat-demons and won!
Hi John and welcome! Wow, congratulations on your weight loss!
I know what you mean about the book being discouraging. I kept having to pinch myself as I read it to remember that I actually did what is supposed to be almost impossible.
But for those of us at goal, I think it's very important to understand the adversary we face so we don't get complacent and minimize the effort it will take to keep the weight off.
We hope you stick around and post with us here in Maintainers. We're fighting our fat demons every day -- and winning!
Thanks Meg! And you too! Your story and photos are amazing.
I agree. Complacency is not a place I want to be. Better to be regularly reinforced with the reality of what's necessary and why we're willing to do it.
If I wanted to post photos or a bio, where would be the best place?
Well I've ordered the book yesterday (as soon as I got my paycheck! ) so I'll be able to read it very soon and share more thoughts on it as well. I too want to know what remains to be faced, if only to be prepared and ready for what is to follow. Genetics have given me the body of a survivor along with the fat cells , so I'm not going to let bad pronostics go in the way without me trying.
I suppose one can take the view that this book's "message" is that permanent weight loss is unattainable and that we all ought to stop trying. That would be one way to take it, and in a sense it's true - based upon the diet advice out there, the number of people who will lose and maintain is pretty darn low.
And, with that "message," some people will choose to just live their life well in the body they have - eat good foods and exercise regularly without seeking weight loss. And, frankly, I think that's a better outcome that constantly yo-yo dieting and beating yourself up. (And probably healthier than the on-a-diet/off-a-diet dichotomy).
Or, you can take all the information presented in this book as reassurance of what we already knew - losing weight is very difficult for the "average" fat person, and keeping it off is even harder. And, armed with that knowledge, you can keep on moving - working towards losing weight and working hard to keep it off, but with a conscious awareness of how difficult it is. The success stories here are a great demonstration that it's both possible AND difficult - Meg and all the rest have accomplished something really incredible, and are continuing to fight it every day.
That's my approach to it - this reinforces what I already knew... I'm not stupid, I'm not missing something soooo easy about weight loss, I'm not "weak" in struggling to lose weight. Instead of feeling hopeless about my chances, I actually am feeling better KNOWING that it's so difficult - I'm not just a wimp who's not able succeed at the simplest task (eat less, move more).
Losing weight is difficult. Keeping it off will be even harder. And this book confirms that knowledge. It doesn't claim it's impossible, just difficult, and my body may fight me every step of the way. But the effort is worth it - if it weren't worth it, I'd be a lot more discouraged knowing it will last the rest of my life. This book illustrates just how difficult it can be - others ("Thin for Life") show that it CAN be done, even though it's difficult.
Basically, knowing how the deck's stacked against us makes it a lot easy to be patient and rebound when I slip up - I'm not "being weak" when I overeat, it's just my body trying to maintain the higher weight. I'm actually being quite strong to get back on track and keep moving. This may not make sense to everyone, but that's part of learning how to succeed at weight control - you have to figure out what works for you, and everyone's different.
I got the library copy. I'm the first one in Huron County to read it ... brand spankin' new.
Soooo interesting.
I can keep it for three weeks. So I'm going to read right through and then go back and make notes for our discussion.
The most profound thing I can think of (recalling at 6 am) is how they keep talking about how most obese people blame themselves ... I'm waiting for them to debunk this but so far all I've read is about the power of genetics. Although that number is much higher than I'd guessed ... I'm just not sure how they're going to get around the notion that these people too can lose weight.
I'm also seeing that I'm one of them. I really, really believe that anybody can lose weight. While at times I feel like a weight loss snob ... and might come across sounding like one ... I'm not sure that I'm labouring under the assumption that if you don't you're just not trying or lazy or uncommitted or something negative .... It's just that you haven't found your combination of good stuff yet.
In the book, it's sounding like finding 'the right combination of good stuff' might be a formidible task for a number of the obese!
Has anyone read Thin Within by Judy Halliday? Conversely she purports that we have a God given weight that is thin and healthy ...
I found the history of weight loss to be fascinating! It is no bloody wonder we have such weird notions that we believe to be proven fact!
Wooo eee ... I found that difficult. Probably in light of the fact that I haven't figured out how to maintain yet ... however ...
I'm reading Ann Fletcher again to combat my .... wave of doubt???
I'll have to think hard but I'd like to join the discussion.
And I agree 100% with your assessment of the book. 'Tis indeed better to know what we're dealing with - and plan accordingly - than to reach goal and think we can live like 'normal' people ... and gain all the weight back.
, so I'm not going to let bad pronostics go in the way without me trying.
